Bowmore’s latest whisky is pure black magic

There is a generally accepted range of whisky colours – from gin clear and pale straw, through deep gold and tawny, to brown sherry and treacle. Black Bowmore breaks the mould, for – as the name suggests – this is one of the deepest, darkest whiskies money can buy.

With its exquisite deep black pearl colour – imparted from the Oloroso sherry casks that it was matured in – Black Bowmore is a 50-year old rounded and complex whisky, an Islay Single Malt that has spent half a century maturing in the legendary Bowmore vaults – the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouse.

It’ll set you back £16,000, but if you do happen to be in the black, then this black’s for you. A nose of aromatic peat stoke is gently complemented by tropical fruits and honeyed black truffle, which gradually gives way to a subtle spice synonymous with sherry maturation.

And, once you taste the deep, pearly blackness of the Bowmore, you will experience a long, lingering mouth feel balanced with a hint of Islay sea salt.

The bottles are filled and sealed by hand, and complete the exclusive Black Bowmore 1964 distillation – the first release of which came back in 1993. The whisky is presented in a stunning handmade cabinet marked with silver contouring and containing – alongside the spirit – a comprehensive history of the distillation and Bowmore as a whole.

From this display case to the rich, dark whisky within, this is pure black magic.